Asbignob to himself



(.No Model.)

R. J. HOFFMAN.

LUBRIGATOR. V

No. 257,326. Y Patented May 2,1882.

C F7 lill/1111111] vIO UNITED STATES LUBRl PATENT OFFICE.

, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, STER, AND RICHARD W. LESTER,A ALLCATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,326, dated May 2,1882.

Application tiled March 24, 1882. (No model.)

.To all whom 'it may concern: V

Be it known that I, Ross J. HOFFMAN, of Binghamtomin the county ofBroome and State of New York, `have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Luhricators; and l do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same.

Mynvention relates to automatic lubricators for engines.

My purpose is, first, to make one lubricator serve to oil two or moreengines when said engines are supplied from the same steanrpipe.

My second object is to distribute the heat ot' the steammore uniformlythrough the oil-cup ofthe lubricator; and my third object is to improvewhat is called the side feed of the lubricator in its connection withthe oil-cup.v

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel represents a central verticalsection of my lubrizo cator, showing the mode and place ot' connectionwith the main supply-pipe, and also showing a series Ot' branch pipes tothe separate engines. Fig. 2 shows a section of the lubricator-cup withthe device for diffusing the heat uniformly through said cup. Figs. 3and 4 show the improved side feed.

In Fig. l, A represents the main steamsupply pipe, with branch pipes a aa leading to as many separate engines. Holes b b b 3o represent theposition of other branch pipes leading off horizontally to otherengines, as the direction of the branch pipes may be either vertical orhorizontal.

The lubricator-cup is represented at E. This p 3 5 in its main featuresis shown in Letters Patent of the'United States granted to me on the Sthday of November, 1881. It is shown clearly in Fig. l as connected to themain supply-pipe at a point between the stea1n-generator and 4o thebranch pipe of the engine nearer thereto. This communication ispreferably made by means of a pipe, D, which connects with the shortpipe O of the lubricator. Within this pipe D, I locate the pipe c, bymeans of which steam is taken from the main supply-pipe and carried tothe interior of the oil-cup B. The upper end of this pipe c is turned tomeet the current of steam, and is preferably formed with a bell-shapedmouth. The tube e within the same pipe D communicates also with theinterior of the oil-cup and opens into the snpplytubc,`being turned in adirection opposite the pipe c,'so as to carry the oil or discharge itinto the current of steam, where it is carried uniformly to all theengines which the main steam-pipe supplies.

The construction and operation of the cup, the pipe G, and the pipes c cneed not be herein and explained in my patent hereinbefore mentioned. Itwill be noted, however, that the pipe C, instead of being screwed intothe steamsupply pipe, is provided with a cup, E, vinto which lis screwedthe bottom of the pipe D, the 'passages in C forming a continuationofthe tubes c e, as shown in Fig. l. The same ligure also shows a pipe,f, located within the pipe D, extending up within the main supply-pipe,and downward to communicate with the hole in the bottom of the cup E,the said cup being supplied with a stop-cock,g. When this stopcock isopen or partially opena small stream of steam may pass through andescape, the steam in its passage keeping up the tempera` ture within thepipe D and the cup E, and thereby the temperature of the pipe c c.

The pipe D may be of anylength to bring the oil-cup within convenientreach of the workmen, so that it may be readily examined or suppliedwith oil, and it may be located upon that part of the pipe nearest thewall,so as to .be out of the way. I have shown the pipe D as dependingfrom the main supply-pipe; but it may be placed horizontally if thecircumstances require it; but the lubricator may be connected to themain supply-pipe in any other convenient way.

Heretofore separate lubricators have been placed upon each engine,supplied from one generator. This arrangement necessitated the use of alarge number of lubricators and increased care and labor in watchin gand iillin g. I have discovered that by myinvention not only is theexpense of the lubricators and labor and time saved, but also I haveeffected a saving in the oil, while accomplishing a perfect and uniformlubrication of all the engines.

The second part of my invention is shown in particularly set forth, asthey are illustrated Fig. 2, in which B is the oil-cup; C, theconnecting-pipe, having the steam-passage c, and an oil-passage, e, thesame as those heretofore described. In Fig. 1, however, as in my formerpatent, the steam passage or pipe c, through which thepartially-condensed steam enters in drops into the oil-cup, is formed bya piece of pipe marked in Fig. l c', which is bent aside so that the endof it comes near the glass of the oil-cup. This arrangement of the bentpipe is for the purpose, common in all such devices, of exposing thedrop of water as it issues from the pipe to view from the outside byreason of its proximity to the glass. This requires the location ofthepipe c near the top of the cup,

`where it will be surrounded by the oil, which maintains its position ontop ofthe Water; but this arrangement keeps the cup unequally heated. Ihave therefore provided within the oil-cup a pipe, It, as shown in Fig.2. This is in line with and directly under the entrance of the pipe c.It is closed at the bottom, but has a perforated head at the top,through which passes an open pipe, 2, the same being a continuation ofthe pipe c. The pipe 2 is threaded and passes through the upper threadedhead, affording an adjustable support for the tube 71.. Small openingsare also made in the head of the pipe h. Into this pipe h, I X the pipet', extending it to a point near the wall of the oilcup. When theapparatus is in operationI the condensed steam enters the pipe 2 andfills the tube h, and, rising, escapes in drops through the tube i,exposing itself at the glass with the movement of each drop. The tube hmay eX- tend down as near as desirable to the bottom ofthe cup, and asthe partially-condensed steam is discharged from the end of' the pipe 2,and then rises,itimpartsuniformlyitsheat throughout the cup, while alsodischarging drops inside, near the top of the oilcup.

The third part of my invention is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In order torender the drops of water from the pipe c as plain and distinctlyvisible as possible, I form a cavity in the side of the oil-cup near itsupper end, as shown at 7c. This may be a hollow bossformed in the 'Qnaar@ wall of the cup or a short piece of tube inserted and secured intothe hole in the wall. It is provided with a disk of glass, (marked 1,)preferably concavo-convex, as shown in Fig. 3. The end of the tube C iscut inclined, the lower end of it being arranged to touch, or nearlytouch,the disk l. As the drops of watcremerge from the pipe c thefollowing drop pushes that before it and causes it to rise in the largerspace between the glass and the upper side of the tube, where it curvesor topples over, as shown at fm, in Fig. 4, forming an enlarged surface,which is further magnified by the form of the glass. This constructionallows me to use a metallic cup, which on some accounts is moredesirable than a glass cup.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. The combinationof the main steam-supply pipe with two or more branch pipes, separateengines connected therewith, and an automatic lubricator connected tothe main supply-pipe between the generator and the branch pipe nearestthereto, all substantially as described.

2. The combination of the steam-supply pipe and branch pipes, the pipeD, and pipe C c e, all in communication with the lubricator,substantially as set forth.

3. The pipe f, in combination with the pipe D, and the pipes C e c, withsteam-supply pipe and lubricatox, as set forth.

4. In combination with the oil-cup of a lubricator and with thesteam-passa ge c thereof, the tube h, pipes 2 and z', all combined andoperating substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with the oil-cup of a lubricator, the hollow bias ortube k and glass l, and the pipe c', having inclined end or face, allarranged to operate substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROSS J. HOFFMAN.

Witnesses:

E. A. DICK, F. L. MIDDLETON.

